Everything Changes
by Jomorox
Summary: Elizabeth Darcy cannot understand why her husband is acting like this. Is it as her mother suggests because girls are no use and men will always only want heirs? Or is there something more going on since? two-shot Regency
1. Chapter 1

"I just don't understand it Jane. He was so attentive these past months and so very happy when I told him. Oh he promised that it did not matter if the baby would not be an heir." She turned to her sister knowing that this was what Jane had been about to say in a vain attempt to help her sister.

"I am sure that he just needs time to adjust." Jane tried to soothe her sister in the manner that she always had done.

She had however noticed that her sister's husband had been acting in a rather peculiar manner in the past few days. She would not always have noticed as she had never found Mr Darcy to be a particularly warm man but even her husband had commented on it.

"But Anna was born almost a week ago."

"It has only been five days and men do need time to adjust to these changes."

"I did not think that my husband would be one!" Elizabeth was still not content and doubted that there was anything her sister could say to make the situation better.

"It might be that things are not the same as he had thought. Charles was the same."

She did not want to say anything but her husband and her sister's husband were not of the same mould and her husband was acting very differently. She had not noticed anything similar to how he was acting now to how Charles had behaved two years ago.

"He was excited." Elizabeth's attention was no longer focused on her sister but she was musing to herself. "He was so looking forward and we had discussed all the things that we were to do, together as a family. I knew that some men might have been upset that their first child was not an heir but I thought that he would pleased that she was named after his mother. Anna or should I say Anne was the first girl's name we agreed on."

"Maybe that is what it is." Jane pointed out.

"Sorry?"

"Perhaps Mr Darcy does not like his mother's name to be shortened; he may find it disrespectful."

It certainly seemed as though Jane was clutching at straws but perhaps that was the reason. Fitzwilliam had rarely shortened her own name despite the fact that there were few who only called her Elizabeth.

"I suppose that you are right. I shall have to remember to call her Anne," she paused. "I may need some reminding."

"Of course."

Elizabeth did not feel it prudent to add at this moment that, for the first time since their marriage began, her husband had not shared a bed with her. She and Jane were not as close as they had always been the distance and their marriages, as well as the lack of daily communication, separating them slightly.

The two sisters smiled at each other and Jane returned to her husband whilst Lizzie walked along the hallway, lingering at the nursery door. So far she had not been able to stay very long away from her daughter and had spent many hours in the nursery.

Seeing that her daughter was in fact awake and not crying it seemed the perfect opportunity to bring her downstairs to show her to the rest of the family and the house.

Anne Eleanor Darcy had been born five days ago on a warm September morning at nine o'clock in the morning which would not be considered too early had her mother not been in the process of giving birth for almost an entire day prior.

She was a beautiful child it had immediately been announced, possessing an equal share of her mother's own beauty and her father's handsome face. She had Elizabeth Darcy's dark eyes framed in the exact same way that her mother's were but her father's strong nose and jaw, already with a smattering of dark hair on the top of her head.

Everyone had rejoiced at the birth and Pemberley was currently receiving a large amount of guests. It had been a long time into the marriage, almost three years and until recently some had unfairly speculated that perhaps the new Mrs Darcy was incapable of such a task as child bearing.

Elizabeth had been greatly upset by this despite her usual carefree way and had taken great pride in the day when she would be able to prove these people wrong and show their child off to the world. She had hoped to have her husband by her side but it did not seem to be the case.

It was strange given that of the two of them he was the one who had not been concerned at the length of time it had taken them to conceive and yet he was acting so odd now.

Elizabeth felt that it was her fault. Not that there was anything wrong. Or at least that was how it should be. It was merely the fact that she had been so convinced that she was carrying a boy and had let her husband believe the same. It was ridiculous really she'd never been in this situation before and so what would it feel like? She'd never been one to believe in the old wife's tales but it had been different and unlike anything she could have supposed.

However by looking back on it, perhaps it had started earlier, this strange behaviour, the broodiness of her husband that, despite what the people of Meryton thought, wasn't common to him at all.

She wished that she could just talk to him but it was likely given his recent behaviour he would claim that there was nothing wrong and then ask to be left alone.

In truth it appeared that after almost three years of marriage the young Elizabeth Darcy did not know her husband as well as she would think.

He did know what was wrong and for how long but in the same way that their problems at the start of their relationship had rooted from his inability to express himself properly, so they were now.

As always with the troubled young man the cause of the problem was rooted with her family.

The Bennets had arrived in all their wonderful glory and Darcy had felt completely isolated from his wife. It had been a simple process that had not been intentional but had left the young man rather put out all the same.

It had started with the simple monopolizing of her time by her mother, concerned about every twitch, every yawn and every slight headache. This had caused his wife to turn back to her old methods of avoiding her and seeking time with her father.

She had certainly not been avoiding her husband but it was the habit of people of similar characters to spend time with one another after such a long time apart.

They had always had a special bond and it had not always been one that others had understood especially her husband. This had been particularly apparent at dinner the first night they arrived.

Elizabeth was, unusually, at the opposite end of the table next to her father whilst Darcy was sat next to Charlie and Jane.

There was a great deal of laughter at the other end of the table and it was not merely because Mrs Bennet was sat there. Mr Bennet and his daughter were sharing some great joke about a local neighbour, little observations that the man had picked up and which Elizabeth was enjoying immensely.

Mr Darcy had been too far away to hear these observations but as he was accompanying his wife upstairs to their chambers he had asked what he had said.

Perhaps his wife did not have the comic timing of her father or her husband did not remember the neighbour from their meetings during their engagement but he did not find it as amusing. She did try to explain but they both found it unsuccessful and rather frustrating. He wondered if after all this time he would ever grow the sense of humour and light heartedness that seemed to contain her and found it frustrating that he still had not and she, given her condition found rather a lot of daily activities frustrating.

That condition wasn't to last long as barely had the Bennets had time to unpack their trunks when Elizabeth had felt the pangs of labour. It was early, much earlier than expected and had taken longer much longer than expected.

At the very least much longer than her husband had expected.

The news was to come when he was almost certain that the only outcome would be tragic. It had however arrived well as had the guests.

Many of their friends and family had flocked immediately towards the couple; they were known for the generosity and this was a much anticipated event. The birth of their first child was great news and many wanted to celebrate with them.

Colonel Fitzwilliam had been one of the first to arrive as September was normally the month of year that he stopped in Derbyshire and he had been planning this visit since he had first heard the news. Fortunately Colonel Fitzwilliam was of such an amiable character that he was one of the few of their acquaintances that she felt it would be fine to leave with her family, particularly her mother.

Sitting in the blue drawing room Mrs Bennet was prattling on about Mr Darcy's wealth for many minutes before she mentioned the birth of her granddaughter.

"It seems that Mr Darcy is being a typical aristocratic man does it not Colonel Fitzwilliam? He clearly wants nothing to do with his daughter. In my opinion I do not find it shocking, as you men will be men but I am sure my Lizzie is upset. I did tell her that hopefully her next child will be a boy and quickly so."

The Colonel frowned at her comments; he was used to her mannerisms having met her on several previous occasions before but today her comments seemed particularly harsh or it might have been that he had been sat with her for almost an hour.

He made his excuses and decided that perhaps it was not wise to be left alone with Mrs Bennet for such a long time.

He decided that he would soon go and see the child, his cousin and his wife as it would not be long before he had to leave and return back to his regiment.

Elizabeth was in the opposite side of the house holding her daughter up to the window and showing her the grounds. It was one of the first times that the child had been taken around the house and Colonel Fitzwilliam could hear her whispering to the baby.

"And that is where I first ran into your father when I came to visit. Right there."

Colonel Fitzwilliam could imagine that she was pointing out towards the grounds when he heard a slight coughing from a male voice, presumably his cousin, as he knew Bingley and his wife were out walking the grounds. There was no point in pausing outside the door and so he entered clearly at the same time as Darcy from an opposing door.

"There is another letter from Lady Dashworth for you, Elizabeth. I imagine it contains more of her raptures at the prospect of being a godmother." His voice was dry and clipped.

"Put it on the table please Fitzwilliam. As you can see my hands are a little busy at the moment," she smiled but this was not met by her husband but rather by her cousin.

"I will hold her for you," Colonel Fitzwilliam offered aware that he had not yet had the chance to hold the child.

"Thank you," she smiled and somewhat awkwardly he took the pink bundle gazing at the face of the newest member of the family.

"She is incredibly beautiful, Elizabeth," Colonel Fitzwilliam caught the eye of his cousin and wondered what he had said wrong for it was obvious by the glare that he had received from the man.

It might have been that slip of the tongue that allowed her Christian name to be uttered; his cousin had never been too fond of their closeness but he could not remember this issue occurring before in their three years of marriage.

"Thank you." Elizabeth too had noticed that her husband was, once again, not listening and was so very determined to get his attention. "Eleanor writes to know when the christening is. I was wondering about that myself, Georgiana was unsure where her christening gown was but she was certain that you would know."

This was something that typically Elizabeth would have organised but in the final period of her confinement Fitzwilliam had spoken with her several times of the large events to celebrate the birth of their child. There were long running traditions that had to be adhered to.

He did not answer her. Elizabeth felt herself flush slightly aware of the presence of Colonel Fitzwilliam and wanting to say something to her husband but knowing that she could not or rather should not.

Colonel Fitzwilliam was aware that there was something that he should do but for all his years in the military he could not think how to deal with this situation.

"I am sure that it is warm enough for you to take Anne outside to show her the spot where the two of you met," He was hoping that by spending time together the unusual atmosphere that the couple were currently experiencing would soon go away.

"I think not." Darcy turned and seeing a selection of books piled up on a small side table picked one up and looked at it, "Mrs Darcy, I will have Mrs Reynolds sort out the arrangements and then you can let everyone who needs to know."

Colonel Fitzwilliam frowned; Mrs Reynolds had been an invaluable housekeeper for many years now but she was just that, a housekeeper and these were not the sort of arrangements that a woman of her position would make.

"No that is fine. I will sort everything out. Mrs Hadwell wrote to me just yesterday I am sure that her husband would be more than happy to perform the ceremony." It was perhaps a sign of all that had changed that Elizabeth was unable to storm out of the room.

Colonel Fitzwilliam had spent limited time around children despite the fact he had many nieces and nephews from his brothers but he did believe that children were able to notice the tension between their parents. It was at this moment that Anne, who everyone had previously commented on being a very quiet and well behaved baby, began to fuss causing her mother to take her back into her arms and out of the room.

Anne did not take long to settle but Elizabeth felt that a nap would be best. In a perfect world she would like the opportunity to escape from company for awhile but knew that was not was a good hostess should do and that unfortunately, some of her guests would not accept the fact that she was a new mother as an excuse.

She entered the nursery and although it had only been recently furnished and she was so tired it was still easy to discern when something was out of place.

"Abbie?" she turned to the young maid who had been given the new responsibility of looking after the latest addition, "Why is this chair in here? Does it not belong in Mr Darcy's room?" She had very nearly said their bedroom but knew it was not the norm to be sharing a room and did not want gossiping to spread. It was actually far more common for Fitzwilliam to come to her chambers as her bed was softer and with less severe furnishings but that chair was definitely from his bedroom.

"Yes. I believe that he bought it in here the other night ma'am."

"The other night?" Elizabeth knew that could have been any night since the birth and hoped the maid would clarify.

"Oh yes ma'am he was here the whole night."

If Abbie had been with the staff for longer she would have thought it odd that Mr Darcy was away from his wife for such a long period of time but the girl was new and did not know a great deal about her employers.

"Thank you."

Elizabeth had been falling asleep much faster than she had during the hot months of the final stages of her pregnancy and given that her husband was spending his evenings with the other men she had not always been aware of whether or not he had entered her bed chamber. It was only with each morning she realised he hadn't.

Elizabeth did know that her husband had not come to bed last night and at that time she was glad; she had been trying to keep her temper with him under control but she had found that as the day had gone on her anger had increased and she did want to avoid an argument, at least while her family remained.

Now though she could not resist and decided that given the bulk of her family were to leave in the morning she would instead wait in his bed chamber that night for an answer.

Fitzwilliam Darcy sat up in his study much later than he would normally. Despite having slept in the same way for most of his adult life, he found suddenly that having an empty bed was a most difficult way of actually sleeping. He did not hear Elizabeth breathing, or in the past few months waking up to get fresh air. They had been apart before, when she had gone to visit her family or his business trips, but never before had it been of his own doing.

He was not sure if he could continue like this for much longer. Or maybe it was just because he was so tired.

However reaching his bed chamber and seeing the figure of his wife there, he realised he would not be sleeping anytime soon.

**I was very nervous about posting this, as I am with pretty much everything I write. The regency language may be a little off but I tried.**

**It started off as a one shot and then went on and on so it may feel a little rushed or slow. **

**I tried to do some research to make this more realistic. Traditionally and still continued to day (or at least it was by my family) a girl would have two godmothers and one godfather with the reverse being used for a boy. They were also likely to be named after this person who typically would be of a higher social class. I felt that the Darcys would name her after his mother. **

**I made Dashwood Eleanor's married name because it would have been of a slightly better social standing than Ferrars, well according to the internet so who knows? **

**I'd like to thank Bonbonnet who reviews everything I write so this is dedicated to her. **

**The second part which is essentially written will be put up in a day or so. I'd love to know your thoughts. **


	2. Chapter 2

"Where have you been?" Elizabeth immediately asked. She knew her husband's habits well enough to know that he did not stay up this late unless there was a serious problem he had to work out.

He did not answer her but instead struggled to remove his shoes, his back turned from her.

"Fitzwilliam!"

"I was in my study, as is my custom." He was still not facing her.

"Do you think I am referring to tonight? I would like to know where you, Fitzwilliam Darcy, the man I married have been for the last week?"

He hated this. They had argued before but he did not feel he had heart her as much,

"Elizabeth it is late and you are surely tired."

"Do not tell me how I am feeling, thank you. I am well aware that it is late but unfortunately this seems to be the only time that I have been able to talk to you."

"Things have been busy lately with the arrival of your family." His jaw clenched slightly, "You were aware that it would not be the same once you had given birth."

"I did not think that my husband's attitude towards me would be one of the changes. There are many men who do not regard a daughter as an asset to their family but I had not thought of you as one of them!"

He shut his eyes to his wife's censure as though her anger would disappear and waited several moments before asking,

"Will you follow me?"

She was tempted to say no, to stubbornly refuse and see exactly what he said but her curiosity got the better of her again.

He led her to the small study that was on the east wing of Pemberley, not too far from her bed chamber. It was an unusual design for a house of this stature to have a study placed upstairs and near the master bedroom suite but according to Mr Darcy on his first tour of the house as a young married couple it had been in original plans of the house and had specifically been put there with very specific instructions.

She knew her husband did not use this room much; his own personal study was larger and therefore more impressive for meeting with his steward and the design and furniture of the room did not have grandeur and elegance of other rooms. Being the shrewd woman she was she now had to wonder if there were other reasons for the lack of use of the room.

He sat her down on the chair but did not say anything as he leaned on the desk. Time passed, perhaps not as much as Elizabeth believed but still a significant period in which neither occupant of the room spoke.

"Is there something that you wanted to speak to me about Mr Darcy? I do have a rather lot of things to be getting on with." Her voice was tight and her statement absurd given the hour.

"Elizabeth." He looked at her properly and she knew that he had realised just how angry she was with him. "I..." he paused and wondered what she was going to say. "Exactly how many years difference are there between myself and Georgiana?"

She thought for a moment. It wasn't that she needed to search for an answer but she wondered why her husband would be asking her something like that.

"Eleven years."

"Exactly. Do you know where I was when she was born?"

She thought for a moment; it was odd but it had never come up in conversation. If he wasn't at home then he must be at a relative or perhaps, "School?"

"Yes. I was at Eton. I am not an uneducated man, I am not, but I have as of yet to be in a house when a woman is going through what you..." he paused embarrassed. "I have also not been around such a young infant. I would ask you to stay here for a moment."

She nodded, too unsure of what to say and was soon left alone.

The clock hand had barely moved when she heard her husband's voice and wondered if he was returning to her and if so why he was bellowing down the passageway for she could hear precisely what he was saying.

That was not possible though. The door, like all doors at Pemberley, was thick and made of the finest wood. Even if her husband was shouting against the door, which he would not, she would not be able to hear him in the way that she could now.

"I will explain everything shortly."

She was left alone for another brief moment until her husband returned.

"You see?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"No, I really don't. Where were you? Why could I hear you so well?"

"I was in your bedchamber. I'm not entirely sure how it works but I believe it was in the originally plans of the house. The wall here has a small hole inside it which follows through into the bedchamber. Given the dimensions of the room it amplifies the noise made and makes it remarkably clear. I was also speaking relatively loudly and clearly."

She nodded although she still did not understand fully.

"My father used this room a lot especially when my mother was ill. The Doctor would always recommend that she received plenty of rest and it was insisted upon that she be left alone. I did not know why he used the room then."

"Of course."

"I," he reached forward to touch her arm. "Felt that since I could not be with you that it would make sense to have some connection to you, to us, to my past. And Charles was certainly not helping my nerves."

She smiled to herself remembering her husband's story of how her brother had behaved at the birth of his own son.

"Except of course this room was not a great deal of comfort given how well I could hear everything in your chamber. "Oh Elizabeth." He put his head in his hands and it was at this point that Elizabeth was able to see the toll that the last few days had taken on her husband. "I did not know what would happen to you. I could not forgive myself for the pain I was putting you through."

Was this merely the answer? He blamed himself for putting her through the pain of childbirth? Surely not, as that would not adequately explain his cold nature. Was it instead that he blamed their daughter?

"I would go through it a hundred times again to have our daughter. In fact I expect to go through it several times more as we add to our family."

He looked up at her so sharply that she expected this was something they would have to discuss. She knew her husband was a man of great sense but that it often took him a while to adjust to new ideas and this was likely to be the case on this issue.

Having known the man for four years know she still knew that there was something bothering him but instead of coaxing it out of him waited patiently.

It did not take as long as it might once have done.

"Bingley. Charles made a comment."

She wondered if it were best to leave her husband to admit whatever he was about to say on his own or question him further.

There was a long silence and she wondered what her brother had said. It might have been that old quote about only men sire men but she would not have thought that her sister's husband would have been either that cruel or thoughtless.

"Charles was looking at her with a great deal of curiosity." She was aware that he was not talking about the almost six foot tall Charles but rather the two year old Charles Bingley. "He gave an offhand remark about how perfect the pair were for each other and how the two of us could look forward to sharing a drink at their wedding."

It was not surprising, in this society marriages were often made at an early age, wasn't her husband proof of this with Lady Catherine de Burg's daughter Anne. Lizzie could remember the exact words, 'it has been planned since their infancy'.

She had also been sure that Bingley had been joking and began to explain this to her husband.

"No it is not that Henry Dubose made the same comment to me. About how it would be such a great match for our daughter, uniting the two families." She could feel his contempt for the man and even if she did not know him so well, she would be able to tell from the way he rolled his eyes.

"Lord Henry Dubose?" Elizabeth was, despite herself, rather impressed. "I did not realise he had a child.

He turned to her in horror. "His son is almost seven years old." She knew that he was not scandalized that she had not remembered this fact but because of what Lord Dubose had suggested.

"Might I point out to you, my husband, the age you were when we married?" she arched her eyebrows.

"I was eight and twenty almost nine and twenty. What of it?" he snapped at her.

"And my age when we married?"

He paused and frowned. "It is not the same. You and I were always different from our ages." It was true that Elizabeth was more sensible than other young women of her age but having spent over two years of living with her he knew that it was her personality not particular maturity. _He _had maybe acted differently to his age but it was more in the case of being an old recluse rather than being young at heart.

"And you are prepared to write off our daughter from this maturity despite the fact that she is a product of the pair of us and is only a month old?"

The twinkling smile was back in her face now and she was no longer angry but was beginning to understand his motives and actions since his daughter had been born. Not that anger wouldn't come but for now all Elizabeth felt was the relief of finding out what had been happening.

"You don't understand. You do not know the look on your father's face when I asked for your hand. I am sure that for as long as I shall live I will not forget that look."

"But Fitzwilliam I don't understand. I mean I know that the loss of your sister was hard on you but I thought you bore it remarkably well. In my mind you had the perfect mixture of sorrow at her leaving you and joy at her match."

Fitzwilliam Darcy smiled at his wife's phrasing. "By the by Elizabeth how long is it that I have known Thomas Wortley?"

"Thomas Wortley?" He was referring to Georgiana's husband. She paused for a moment calculating. "I suppose that you were at school together but he is six years your junior so I do not know. I can't imagine that you would have associated much given the age gap. However he is from the neighbouring country so..."

Her husband was impressed with her deducing skills and laughed. "We are of a similar standing, our families have been associating for years. I have had influence over Thomas for years."

"Are you trying to suggest that you influenced Thomas into falling in love?" She laughed slightly. "Because whilst I am sure that you are powerful I don't think your influence stretches that far."

He smiled. "It is because I have known Wortley for so long that I was able to trust him with my sister. He has always looked up and perhaps admired me and I believe he has trusted me and asked my advised. It was because of this that he was so nervous when he asked for Georgiana's hand. He is one of the few I would trust with her."

"Of course."

"I have spent many years with Wortley and have gained this reputation. Many a young man knows that I would be perfectly capable of duelling and winning if they should trifle with the ones that I love. It will not always be the case."

She did not respond as it seemed he would continue.

"And what of the Collins' baby?"

Charlotte. The Collins.

She remembered Mr Collins snivelling letter to her father after his engagement and though it had at the time not been her chief concern it had contained the news that Charlotte was with child.

Over the next few months it was all the news that her father would hear and Collins' great prophesies for the handsome and tall son he would have. Mr Bennet had laughed at the odds that this would happen until finally news of a child had been born.

It was not however a boy but a girl named, naturally Catherine after his great Patron. It had not turned out to be as great compliment as he had planned. Catherine Collins had turned out to be a sickly baby who had fussed easily. She had been thin and pale and Charlotte had been kept up many a night nursing a baby that her husband was not interested in.

It had been a bout of scarlet fever that had finally dealt the fatal blow.

"Why would you think of that?"

Of course she had concerns about her daughter and her health, indeed her mind had gone to some rather dark places but she had not dwelled on the misfortunes of her old friend. It was the only thing that she could do to make sure she slept at night.

Her husband still did not speak and having known him all this while and understood his mannerisms she knew how to get the answers out of him.

"Are you worried that something might happen to our daughter?"

"It was just... is just she's so small Elizabeth and... pink... and she'll be at more risk to illness. I am sure that no other baby has looked like that."

She smiled to herself slightly; Charles had made a similar comment when his son was born.

"I assure you Fitzwilliam that is not the case. Did Doctor Philips not tell you that he thought she was extremely healthy looking? I know that you have concerns. Do you not think that I have also? But you must remember that I am, much to Mr Collins disgust, far more active than Charlotte and I'm sure that our daughter will inherit my health."

He turned to her. "But how can you be certain?"

He looked so worried and in desperate need of comforting that she reached toward him.

"I cannot. No one can. In the same way that my Father could not be sure that I would be happy when he gave your permission to marry me."

"It is not the same. Your father had some knowledge of my character and certainly of your ability to make decisions. He was not leaving it up to chance and the hopes of good health."

Elizabeth smiled for he had led himself to exactly where she had planned for him to go. "Exactly, and I am sure that you will be the same when our own daughter comes to marry, many years in the future. As for now, you cannot worry about everything. Yes, it is true that there are dangers out there but if I were to act as you are I would never let you out of the house and certainly would not let you on your horse."

He smiled as he realised the ridiculousness that this behaviour would be. He made to speak but she continued.

"We have a warm room free of drafts and are able to provide the best medical care in the country. In the meanwhile you have a happy and healthy daughter who has been that way for a month and I believe that it is high time that you got to know her."

The slight disapprobation in her voice let him know that she was still angry with him, as she had every right to be and he knew that it would take awhile for him to make it up to her and their daughter.

He felt he had better start to try right away. "I would like to say that, despite my recent behaviour, I am overjoyed at the birth of our daughter and cannot think of a way to thank you that would be adequate for you giving me such a precious gift. I believe my feelings have only once been similar to this and that was on our wedding day."

Elizabeth smiled now that he was behaving the way that she had always imagined him to, "William I did not give you this gift; we created her together. That is the way we will continue, as a united front."

"Of course. Except I must already disagree with you."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

"I know that we had already settled on the name Anne after my mother but I feel that maybe we should continue to call her in the manner that you have; Anna. It is younger and similar to my sister's. I have also found that women with that name have not been the healthiest creatures, my mother and cousin being prime examples and hope that a letter change would help."

"Of course, William I quite agree with you."

"And her middle name..."

"Stays as Eleanor," Elizabeth interrupted her husband. "Eleanor Dashwood is such a dear friend and so kind to me, especially after our time in London." She gave him a look and he knew she was referring to the censure she had faced from the ton.

"I know that, I just wish that there was some way to honour you or your family. I think Elizabeth a very beautiful name."

"I am glad of that. Perhaps we can name the next one that. I was thinking sometime within a year, so that they should be close as children. January is such a dull month, a birth would be perfect. We could have a party outside." She laughed at her husband's expression.

"With the snow we had last year? No, absolutely not. Anna or for that matter you whilst you are recovering shall not be going outside until at least the first of April. There will be no snowballs thrown this year."

They were both for a moment caught in the memory of the snow storm that had left them stuck at Pemberley for almost a month last year at Christmas and the various ways that Elizabeth had entertained her restless husband.

"Perhaps not this year but in the future there will be two of us to fight you."

"You do not know, our next child may be a boy."

"Well then I fear he will be terribly teased with a middle name of Elizabeth. "

"You forget, I already have the perfect name picked out for a son."

"I do not believe that is your decision alone to make." They had created a list of boys' names but Elizabeth could not remember a specific one that Fitzwilliam preferred.

"Bennet."

"No." This discussion had taken place before and Elizabeth would not allow her son to be saddled with her maiden name especially given her social standing compared to that of her husband's.

"We'll see." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Now I do believe that I have a daughter to see."

"I do believe that you have seen her before. I have heard you were sitting up the entire night."

"You were so tired and I did not think that it is good for you to always be up whenever she cried. I was not there the entire night. It will sound silly to you, it sounds ridiculous even as I say it but just by watching her, I felt maybe things would be all right, I could... sort it out."

"It is not ridiculous. I am glad that you could be with her when I could not."

He smiled and kissed her wrapping his arm around her shoulder as she led him to the nursery.

One day, although not for several years, they would talk about the ridiculous element of this situation. How Fitzwilliam Darcy had ignored his wife to satisfy the guilt he felt at the pain he caused and even more so how he had prevented himself from getting attached to his daughter because she might get ill and even if she was healthy would eventually marry.

In this conversation years later Darcy would admit that he had not expected everything to change as much as he did. The love he had towards his wife, which he did not think could be greater, had swelled to be shared with his daughter whilst at the same time he had been struck with his inadequacies as a man and this overwhelming feeling of hopelessness.

He would remember the evening he had properly looked at her with his wife forever.

Anne Darcy was wrapped, far too loosely in his opinion but then he had already proved he knew nothing, in a series of pink blankets and gazing up at the ceiling. He could now realise just how much like her mother's eyes hers would grow to be.

He leaned in closer to get a look his fingers leaning down brushing her head. It was at this amount she tried to rid herself of the swaddles around and her little hand reached his rather large one. Allowing her to get closer she gripped his finger her tiny hand wrapped tightly around it.

It seemed that it would stay that way for many years.

**Hello. I'm sorry that it took me so long to update! Thank you very much for all your comments, I loved getting them. **

**I agree the transitions weren't great and I'm sorry that there were historical inaccuracies. It's not an area that I have really studied. I'm afraid I didn't know much about the confinement period and thought it was before birth but I did feel that Elizabeth would not use a lying-in hospital given that she was in the country. **

**Again thanks for all the comments. Would love to know what you thought about Darcy's reasoning which is of course, very flawed but men are strange creatures. If you favourite before it would be great to have a comment. **

**Sorry for any mistakes. Proofreading and five in the morning not best but I'm away so... **


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